As the group continued to rise, the less the group felt the feeling of someone being superior among them. Sure some are a bit more popular than they are, but they have treated themselves as one group and that it doesn't matter. It's not 'pick one, leave the rest' they simply won't let it, they come as a whole package and that's what makes them a family.

Sure by now everyone gets along with everyone, and that taking them as a whole is a lot more than just one, but there's always that certain place in a person’s heart for only one person, but of course, if when someone like Kim Mingyu, it wouldn't just be him, other than the whole group, Mingyu comes with another package, Meanie, not only Mingyu though, whether it's him or Wonwoo; they simply go with each other and nothing can tear them apart.

Mingyu loved Wonwoo’s presence, he loved how Wonwoo would always go to him just to talk about a book he recently read, even though he haven't finished it yet, he would talk about it with Mingyu and tell him the rest later after he finishes it. Mingyu on the other hand, he feels most comfortable when Wonwoo's beside him while he plays something, it doesn’t matter if the other is reading something or watching what he is playing, as long as he’s beside the taller, then Mingyu is sure to feel comfortable; and more at home, as he says.

The day haven't even started, Wonwoo already feels as if his limbs are going to fall of his body, he still wasn't over the event that happened the day before, they ended early though, more the reason for him not to understand why he feels tired, then there's Mingyu, who he feels like full of energy and will to do his best for the day and do the same the next. Mingyu continued to play on his phone when he felt something quite heavy, fall on his shoulder, he then turned to his side and saw Wonwoo leaning against him, his eyes half lidded as if ready to sleep, and in fact, he is.

"You really should sleep, you look a bit tired and we have a whole day ahead of us" Mingyu whispered to his hyung as he paused the game he was playing to reach for the older, and his hair. Wonwoo always liked when someone plays with his hair, he goes straight to sleep but no one actually does it except for Mingyu. He sure isn't sick, though when he feels like it there's only one person who notices it, and he's thankful that he does or else he would feel like it the whole day, he would always do whatever he can just so Wonwoo can feel better and that he eats and sleeps on time, he wish he could do the same though, but he isn't as productive as Mingyu, though guilt would eat him up if he can't do anything for Mingyu when he's the one feeling sick.

 "I'm sorry, Mingyu" Wonwoo whispered as he slowly drifted to sleep. The taller continued to and pet his hyung when a phone suddenly blocked his vision. "Hyung, read" Seungkwan said in a soft voice, obviously trying to hold in a laugh not to wake up some sleeping members including Jihoon.  Mingyu then took the phone with his free hand, the screen greeting him with a website he's too familiar with, a place where he pour his stress out, where he tried to relieve himself by reading the most romantic fanfictions he could find, that wasn't the case though; Mingyu isn’t new to the Meanie pairing, not only fans would bomb him questions about the two, but Seungkwan is one of those people who likes the combination he and Wonwoo unknowingly made. Mingyu then started to read the fanfiction Seungkwan just showed him before pushing it back to the younger, "just give me the link later" Mingyu simply said and rolled his eyes.

The Fan signing event started on time, there was no delays and that the flow went as planned, no fan had mentioned about how he looked tired, he then just assumed that it wasn't too obvious, even the people who know him well didn't seem to notice; it was only Mingyu. The day went by, but they aren’t finished; the group needed to practice, they doesn’t have a schedule till noon the day after the next, but they still needed to. Like usual, they had to practice till dawn, but it would all be worth it after the schedule is over, if they do good they wouldn't have to practice that much anymore.

As they finished another run of Pretty U, Wonwoo could feel his stomach grumbling, he wasn't hungry though, they all just ate and even waited and hour to start practicing, there’s no way he's hungry or too full, though not wanting to bother anyone, Wonwoo just shrugged it off and went back to position to start again, but by the middle of the song, Wonwoo could feel his stomach hurting, He hugged himself tightly and groaned softly, no one have noticed for they were too busy with dancing, even Mingyu.

As Wonwoo went back to his position as to end the song, he felt his stomach hurt more, stepping back as he hugged himself again, groaning louder in pain, before falling down the floor clenching tightly on his shirt. "Wonwoo-” before he could hear everything, he then passed out with the sight of the members above him before he completely closed his eyes.

"Jeonghan has been crying for too long already" he heard someone say, ah it's his leader, Seungcheol, he haven't even opened his eyes to know that they weren't in the dorm or the company, he was pretty sure he's in a hospital with the smell of alcohol and the breeze felt really like it. He then slowly opened his eyes to see the leader’s back facing him, talking to their manager and some other staff, on the side, there's Vernon, Jun and Dino watching some TV, Wonwoo turned to the other but still couldn't find Mingyu. "You have to rearrange everything, it’s up to you who gets his parts... he can't perform till he completely recover" the manager said to Seungcheol who just nodded his head "I understand, we’d rather do so than to risk the health of a member." He firmly said and looked at the younger members at the side who continued to watch some cartoons.

"We have to go" Seungcheol ordered the three and then turned to Wonwoo "take care of yourself, get well soon okay?" He smiled at him and then headed for the door "Mingyu and Jihoon are going to visit later" he added before completely leaving the room with the members. Wonwoo's face looked like it has been hit by a hundred storms; he thought the feeling of being deprived from sleeping felt worse, and that the feeling on his stomach felt bad, he didn't think that the feeling of being a burden to his friends felt even worse. The staff noticed this and smiled at him. "Don't worry, they're doing this for you" he said softly and took a seat to where the three sat earlier that time.

Not an hour later Mingyu and Woozi entered the room, Woozi with his normal, somehow, scary look and Mingyu smiling at him, but with obvious worry on his eyes. "Hyung" Mingyu spoke softly and sat beside Wonwoo who just smiled at him and didn't say anything "are you feeling better? Your food doesn't look like it’s been touched... you haven’t been eating?" Mingyu his normal self who just talk, talk and talk, pouting at Wonwoo who the taller think isn't taking care of himself well.

"How can I eat when it hurts more...and" Wonwoo heaved out a sigh and played with his fingers "when I'm being a burden to all of you" he mumbled and looked down, a frown on his face. Woozi heard this and turned to him "don't think that- you would only be a burden to us if you don't take care of yourself! Jeonghan hyung even cried because he couldn’t imagine how much pain you're feeling, it would only bother us if you’re not getting better because you feel like a burden to everyone." Wonwoo and Mingyu just stared at the shorter, Mingyu immediately agreed to his hyung, Its the truth, they wouldn’t be able to handle if one of them is hurt, it would also cause everyone pain, and all they can do is give their best as he's not there and not make fans feel that their performance is lacking something, they needed to pretend as if they're not incomplete, even they're hurting inside because one of them is not there.

"Plus, if you take care of yourself then we would stop worrying" he said softly and smiled at Wonwoo "It's not your fault Hyung-" Mingyu finally spoke and held his hand. "We just probably didn't notice you're hurting and we're sorry." He added and squeezed his hyung’s hand, trying to assure him. "But you notice everything about me, Mingyu, I just didn't know it till it came" he replied and smiled at the two. "I'm a lot better now, I’m going to eat in a while, you two should go rest while you can" Wonwoo smiled at the younger who just smiled back at his hyung. "True, Let's go" Woozi nodded at Mingyu and eyed the boy lying on the hospital bed "I'm going to hit you when you get out here-" he laughed and pulled Mingyu off his hyung and dragged him out the room.

"I hope he really does take care-" Mingyu huffed and followed his hyung out the hospital. "Hey, don't you trust him? I thought you know him best, why does it seem like-" Woozi haven't even finished his sentence when Mingyu stopped on his tracks, looking straight down the floor. The older was confused for a moment when he heard sobbing; it definitely came from Mingyu,

"It's my fault, I didn't take care of him well, it probably slipped my mind, it was probably already in front of me and I didn't even notice-" he stuttered, his voice cracking as he told his hyung what he really feels, he couldn't hold it much longer he can't pretend to be okay anymore, he needed someone to know. "If you did, then all of us probably didn't even think of it, not once did it pass by, if you didn’t, then we probably would never have" Woozi approached the taller male and caressed his back.

"Hyung... it hurts- I can't... I can't stand seeing him like that" he stuttered and continued to cry, still his head down. "If you're hurt... Imagine what Wonwoo feels right now? He needs you to be strong for him, to believe than in a day or two he will be out that place" Woozi spoke and patted the younger’s shoulder before pulling him by his arm "Let's hurry"

The day of the performance arrived, it seemed so long to everyone, they couldn’t wait to finish everything so that they can visit their friend, there was no one who makes lame and awkward jokes, someone who will randomly talk at the back of the group; they were incomplete and everyone can feel it, Soonyoung came up with a plan though- He thought that taking a picture of Wonwoo with them during the performance would somehow fill in the emptiness they feel, maybe not as much but it somehow have. They didn’t actually think that fans would be touched, they didn’t think fans would’ve cared, but apparently it does and now everyone is talking about it.

Though the fuss about Wonwoo’s picture didn’t just end to that, everyone was so happy that even though Wonwoo wasn’t there the ship they loved so much kept on sailing, just when Mingyu held the book, not only that picture but the stuffed toy they brought to the fan signing event to represent Jeon Wonwoo, it made everyone happier when Mingyu was the one who kept on holding his stuffed Wonwoo, even though he wasn’t physically there everyone felt as if he is.

Everyone decided that not all members are going to visit that night, some of them are dead tired and it was a bit late already, Seungcheol though, he wanted to visit him as much as possible, Jeonghan just went with him, along with Woozi, Seungcheol asked Soonyoung to stay for the night, he was probably very tired and doesn’t want to burden him, at last, they decided that the Hyung’s would go but of course Mingyu cannot be absent on visiting Wonwoo, he needed to be there.

“I knew Jeonghan hyung would fall asleep that fast…” Mingyu chuckled as he continued to Wonwoo’s hair “well, you’re all pretty tired, you could’ve waited till tomorrow” his hyung replied with a chuckle as he looked up at the younger, even though Woozi said not to feel guilty, Wonwoo actually still does and it would never leave him “even if no one wants to go here, I’m still going to…” Mingyu smiled and held his hyung’s hand and stared at it, his thumb brushing across the back of Wonwoo’s hand.

“Hyung… I read the thing Seungkwan told me to read… and it felt too real” he whispered, still looking down “I… hyung… what do you think of me?” Mingyu struggled to say those words, though he managed to do so, he bit his lip as he looked up at his hyung. “You’re really close to me, Mingyu, I’m closest to you” he smiled and grabbed Mingyu’s hand to intertwine their fingers “nothing else?” Mingyu furrowed his brows and bit his lip harder. “Is there supposed to be something else?” Wonwoo chuckled at the Younger’s question and started to play with his fingers. “Hyung… not only do I think this ‘meanie’ thing as a fan thing… hyung… I liked you for a while now, and reading those stories…. They make me feel that you might actually feel the same way for me” he explained and pulled away from his hyung “s-sorry Mingyu but… you’re my best friend and I don’t want to ruin that…I’m sorry” Wonwoo heaved out a sigh and played with his own fingers.

Mingyu’s eyes already started to get a bit moist, he then shoved his hands inside his pockets and shook his head, just when he was about to say something, Seungcheol and Woozi came back from the store where they bought some food and drinks Wonwoo wanted; he hated the hospital food. “I’m going home first… see you tomorrow” Mingyu spoke, his head down, trying not to let Woozi and Seungcheol notice his tears, Woozi was about to say something, but Mingyu already left the room.

“What happened?” Seungcheol looked at the younger as he placed the food down the table beside Wonwoo, “it’s nothing…” he smiled, though, it was too obvious that, he too, is about to cry. Wonwoo didn’t say anything, but could feel his chest ache from stopping his tears; it then got to him and felt his stomach hurt.  “Y-yah! Wonwoo-ah!” he heard Seungcheol for the last time before he passed out.

A week has passed since Wonwoo got discharged from the hospital, everyone was worried at first, but then Wonwoo has already recovered and that made them relieved. Though, it has been a long time, or at least it felt like a long time to Wonwoo since Mingyu last talked to him, they had short ‘hi and hello’ and ‘yes or no’ but there wasn’t a real conversation since that day, everyone have visited Wonwoo in groups the day after that but Mingyu never visited him again.

“I’m worried” Wonwoo whispered and held his book closer to his chest, though Soonyoung just continued to dance, he would glance and nod at Wonwoo as response though, it was already late and that the others are already resting, it was only Wonwoo’s request to talk to Soonyoung, Soonyoung agreed though, for he says that he needed more practice.

“I miss him… he hasn’t talked to me since… his last visit…” Wonwoo huffed and watched as continued to dance who just nodded and turned to him “since he came home, crying? We figured…” he smiled and sat the taller that just started to play with the pages of his book. “He will talk to you soon; just give him some time…” Soonyoung grabbed ahis water bottle and nodded at the other.  “But, is that really it? You really don’t feel the same?” he tilted his head to the side as he faced the boy who sat on the floor. “I don’t really know that feeling so I’m not sure, I read about it on my books, everything matches but I don’t understand, I should’ve seen this even before right? I was surprised…” Wonwoo explained and placed the bookmark on the page he was just reading, Soonyoung who stood in front of the mirror ready to practice again laughed.  “Actually, Mingyu have shown you that a long, long time ago…” he grinned and leaned against the wall before sitting down.

“Remember last Christmas? He gave us the same thing but yours was different, though he also gave you one of those things he gave us… and your birthday last year… some of us didn’t even gave you anything but he gave you something…something I think is kind of expensive… and if something’s up about you he’s the first one to know and makes sure you’re okay… how can you not see it? That’s where all those fanfics started though, when he randomly hugs you and you do too…” Right, Mingyu was always the one who gave him things he wanted, usually he would expect things he doesn’t need or want, but Mingyu gave him things he knows he wanted, like Soonyoung said, the Christmas before, Mingyu gave him the harry potter wand he wanted, and that time turner necklace. Mingyu always put Wonwoo first; it’s not clear why he didn’t see it before.

One more thing is that even off camera, where there’s no reason for them to do fan service, for no one would actually see them, Mingyu would always come near him and do as much as he can, hold Wonwoo’s hand, throw his arms around his hyung and a lot more; though that wasn’t the only one Wonwoo realized that time, he too then realized that he liked what Mingyu does, and when it comes to the younger, he would always want to be the first one to know and the first one to do something about it, he too gave Mingyu something he wanted, some games he knew Mingyu would love but hesitate to buy because it’s too expensive, if Mingyu wanted something he would want to give it right away if he could, but would usually or be rude to him first before giving what the younger wanted; he loves seeing Mingyu whine.  

“ah- I’m such an idiot” Wonwoo whispered to himself and got up and placed his book down the table before going to the room where they usually place their things, he then grabbed a banana milk from his shelf and went back to where Soonyoung was. He then pushed the straw through the lid and started sipping on his banana milk. “Oh I though he stopped giving you those…” Soonyoung laughed and continued to play with his shoes, Wonwoo laughing after. “Mingyu loves those so much, when he goes out to buy those he always comes back with extra to give you…” Soonyoung laughed and got up before starting to dance again.

“Mingyu? I thought it is Jun… he always seems like he’s drinking some strawberry milk…” Wonwoo blinked and stared at the one he’s drinking. “Ah…no…Mingyu has always been the one… I thought you knew…” Soonyoung shook his head and continued dancing “you should catch him do it… he usually does it our first break during practice…” he added and turned to the taller male. “Should we go home now?”

They didn’t have to practice at all, they have nothing to do at the moment, though some of them actually continued to work, especially Woozi who’s still working on a new song for their next comeback, he wanted it to be big. Though no one wanted to stay at their hot dorm, they then went to practice instead, like the performance team, trying to help other members to dance better, though they were already doing great but to them they weren’t good enough so they asked for help. Though Wonwoo on the other hand, followed the tallest boy to the room, not only where they place their things, but also the place where they try to rest.
 

Wonwoo sneaked behind Mingyu, and watched him as he grabbed a banana milk on his own bag to place beside Wonwoo’s, the older male then coughed to get the youngers attention “so it’s you?” he spoke and smiled at Mingyu, who just stared at him in shock. “Mingyu-ah… I’m sorry… It wasn’t really clear to me then, but… at least now I know… and… Mingyu… we can now make it work…” He smiled at the taller, and stepped closer to hug him, how he missed the old days. “You don’t have to read those anymore…” he chuckled and pulled away before grabbing the banana milk Mingyu left for him. Wonwoo was about to leave when Mingyu spoke: “Hyung… I love you”, Wonwoo just nodded at him and mouthed an ‘I love you too’.